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Author Topic: China targets illegal radio broadcasters  (Read 2775 times)

Offline Oliver

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China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« on: April 13, 2016, 1023 UTC »
Illegal radio broadcasts first began filling China's airwaves back in 2013.

Since then, they've become rampant, normally blasting listeners with various types of content, ranging from sketchy medical infomercials to lewd and pornographic content.

Law enforcement officials say for the exception of Tibet, these types of illegal broadcasts have been noted all over China.

Chen Shiqu with the Ministry of Public Security says their campaign has focused on getting to the root of the problem.

"We've been trying to target the business operations which set up the illegal broadcasts. We've also been targeting those who produce and sell the equipment used for the broadcasts. Those who purchase airtime on them to spread their illegal information are also being targeted."

Authorities estimate it can cost around 50-thousand yuan a month to set up and maintain the illegal transmitters, which are normally set up in residential areas.

However, some of the larger operations are reportedly able to make millions of yuan in profits through the sale of their air-time.

While the transmitters themselves are often poorly made, many of them are high-powered.

Li Changwei with the Civil Aviation Administration of China says these high-powered broadcasts have the potential to interfere with vital communication channels.

"These shadowy radio frequencies severely affect the operations of our control towers at airports. Sometime, pilots and the air traffic controllers are unable to communicate effectively, impacting flights."

A six-month, nationwide crackdown on illegal broadcasts began in February.

So far, over 400 illegal radio operations have been shut down cross the country.

To help with the crackdown, authorities are using drones with radio-wave sensors to track their targets.

Song Qizhu is with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

"We can now very accurately and effectively monitor and locate these illegal broadcasts. We have built a comprehensive wireless monitoring network to alert us when these broadcasts are spotted."

Under Chinese law, anyone caught setting up illegal broadcasts is subject to fines and up to 7 years in jail.

Source: http://www.china.org.cn/china/2016-04/11/content_38216097.htm
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Please send eqsl to: oliverinusa[at]yahoo.de

Offline ff

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Re: China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2016, 1256 UTC »
Authorities estimate it can cost around 50-thousand yuan a month to set up and maintain the illegal transmitters, which are normally set up in residential areas.
While the transmitters themselves are often poorly made, many of them are high-powered.
Li Changwei with the Civil Aviation Administration of China says these high-powered broadcasts have the potential to interfere with vital communication channels.
"These shadowy radio frequencies severely affect the operations of our control towers at airports. Sometime, pilots and the air traffic controllers are unable to communicate effectively, impacting flights."

50 thousand yuan converts to over 7700 dollars a month.  I would imagine that any operation spending even a quarter of that should be quite RF clean -  lack of creating interference would be a priority because that would have the greatest impact on the pirate's longevity, and in turn, the amount of money to be made.  I'm guessing that their real problems concern "kids playing radio" and "frustrated DJs" - probably with the same cheap Rohm chip-based FM kitcasters and power amplifiers that the Chinese are selling on EBAY... to us.  What goes around, comes around.

Under Chinese law, anyone caught setting up illegal broadcasts is subject to fines and up to 7 years in jail.

All that and Chinese radio pirates are being hunted down with drones too.  God Bless America.  And thanks for posting, Oliver.
Hailing from the upstate boondocks region of the progressive paradise which once was New York State

Offline ka1iic

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Re: China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2016, 1557 UTC »
"We've also been targeting those who produce and sell the equipment used for the broadcasts..."  And whom, pray tell, might those folks be?

ff says it best:
Quote
"50 thousand yuan converts to over 7700 dollars a month.  I would imagine that any operation spending even a quarter of that should be quite RF clean -  lack of creating interference would be a priority because that would have the greatest impact on the pirate's longevity, and in turn, the amount of money to be made.  I'm guessing that their real problems concern "kids playing radio" and "frustrated DJs" - probably with the same cheap Rohm chip-based FM kitcasters and power amplifiers that the Chinese are selling on EBAY... to us.  What goes around, comes around."

In this case tho I don't see it being so much of an interference problem but more of a control problem in The "Peoples Republic" of China.  Politics being what they are... and no they haven't changed!

But so much for me wasting your time...  I need to set up my first Kindle, I bought the cheap (?) one.  Now I wonder where this thingie was made?  What does the box say? <nothing really because it is way too early for me to hear boxes talking> but printed on the box it says:

Quote
Designed in California and Seattle, assembled in China

First off notice: "Designed in California and Seattle".  This causes me to wonder... has Seattle become a State in itself or has California fallen on its heels and become a large city?

Second notice: "assembled in China".  OK, things are getting clearer.  This must mean the parts for this Kindle thingie came from...???  Lets see, oh yeah;  The State of Seattle or the City of California.

Now is it just me or is the wording here a bit odd for a device that folks might use to read a book?  That is assuming the person laid out his bread to read he/she just might want to look "trendy" while waiting in line at the Doctors office.

Now to load some books on this Kindle thingie...  how much you bet that will be an interesting subject for me to comment on?  What??? No takers!!!  Heh You folks are one hell of a lot smarter than the average peoples... ::)

Later...





73 Vince
KA1IIC

"If you can't be anything, you can at least be annoying"

Troy, Ohio. 20m Vertical & low long wire E/W, Yaesu FT-187ND, SDRplay 2, Ratt Shack 2 meter rig, and other little bits of electronics I'm not talking about, homebrewed and otherwise... so there bleech!

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2016, 1655 UTC »
But so much for me wasting your time...  I need to set up my first Kindle, I bought the cheap (?) one.  Now I wonder where this thingie was made?  What does the box say? <nothing really because it is way too early for me to hear boxes talking> but printed on the box it says:

Quote
Designed in California and Seattle, assembled in China

First off notice: "Designed in California and Seattle".  This causes me to wonder... has Seattle become a State in itself or has California fallen on its heels and become a large city?

Second notice: "assembled in China".  OK, things are getting clearer.  This must mean the parts for this Kindle thingie came from...???  Lets see, oh yeah;  The State of Seattle or the City of California.

Now is it just me or is the wording here a bit odd for a device that folks might use to read a book?  That is assuming the person laid out his bread to read he/she just might want to look "trendy" while waiting in line at the Doctors office.


Apple's been using the "Designed in California" tagline for years now, I assume this is Amazon joining in, mentioning where their design staff are.
Chris Smolinski
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Offline ka1iic

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Re: China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2016, 1755 UTC »
Nothing new under the Sun Chris...

I'm waiting for something to be designed from say... Wehocking New Jersey for a change... Bet anything from there would be as nifty as the Jersey Pike... <sigh>

How about Cragrock Tennessee ? 

Hey the machine gun was invented at Dover-Foxcroft, Maine...  by Hiram Percival Maxim's (W1AW) father...

 
73 Vince
KA1IIC

"If you can't be anything, you can at least be annoying"

Troy, Ohio. 20m Vertical & low long wire E/W, Yaesu FT-187ND, SDRplay 2, Ratt Shack 2 meter rig, and other little bits of electronics I'm not talking about, homebrewed and otherwise... so there bleech!

Offline ff

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Re: China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2016, 1810 UTC »
In this case tho I don't see it being so much of an interference problem but more of a control problem in The "Peoples Republic" of China.  Politics being what they are... and no they haven't changed!

You're probably right about that Vince.  Once a control freak, always a control freak.  And nothing ever changes that short of mass bloodletting.  But enough of the gloom.  As I said, thank God for America, as long as it lasts.  I hope you like the Kindle, wherever it may have been built.  One thing though - I'd highly recommend going the extra bux for the Paperwhite version.  That thing is so cool.  I rarely can sleep unmedicated for more than about four hours at a time.  I can read in bed without a light and without waking up my snoring partner.  Doncha love that great California and Seattle engineering?
Hailing from the upstate boondocks region of the progressive paradise which once was New York State

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2016, 1835 UTC »
The new Chinese premier has been engaged in a crackdown against the personal and economic reforms of his predecessors since he came into office. He's no Mao, but he's doing what Mao used to do after he loosened things up, Mao would see which people and sectors rose in the lenient periods so he could eliminate them as possible rivals down the road.

The new premier has been cleaning house inside the Party, moved on to the financial sector and is now selectively removing Red Army leaders that have been lining their pockets for the past 30 years. He won't shut down the economy, that would be cutting of his nose to spite his face, but it looks like he wants more top down control of it from inside the Party.

Offline ka1iic

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Re: China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2016, 1358 UTC »
I read somewhere (can't cite) but I remember the way the Chinese Government deals with drug dealers and drug manufacturing folks, a single bullet to the head and they make the families of the dead pay for the bullet.  No joke...The 'justice' that the Chinese Government deals out is fast and final.

I hope that they don't deal with the 'pirates' in this harsh manner but I think the 'pirates' just might disappear for, say...  20 or 30 years.

The Chinese people are very nice people but the mainland Chinese Government just <expletive deleted>.   

73 Vince
KA1IIC

"If you can't be anything, you can at least be annoying"

Troy, Ohio. 20m Vertical & low long wire E/W, Yaesu FT-187ND, SDRplay 2, Ratt Shack 2 meter rig, and other little bits of electronics I'm not talking about, homebrewed and otherwise... so there bleech!

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2016, 2342 UTC »
That's the way they've dealt with all capital cases for decades. The head of the regional police force shoots the criminal in back of the head with a .22 LR pistol. It penetrates the skull but doesn't exit, bouncing around turning the brain to mush. The criminal's family is left the body to bury as they see fit.

I've always thought we should adopt it here when I hear some candidate for Sheriff hollering about expanding capital punishment. Let's see how much they're for it when they're the one who will ultimately have to do the deed and live in the same community as the people whose relatives they've shot. It ought to pipe 'em down a tad.

My Grandfathers Grandfather was both a sheriff and later, the regional hangman. He taught my Grandpa the skills he might need, knots, rope type, and circumference, if he chose to pursue the field. Grandpa taught 'em to me. If you tune the gallows properly and place the knot right, the condemned will drop, his neck will snap at the bottom of the drop, and he'll make 3/4's rotation, dead as a doornail from the drop itself. Only a bad hangman's clients strangle.

Anyone seen Al?

Offline Josh

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Re: China targets illegal radio broadcasters
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2016, 0035 UTC »
The chicoms might be concerned with unregulated mass media as they have to quell some 1000 or more riots across the country per week, with military force, due to food, jobs, you name it. China is ripe for a revolution.
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